Undergraduate Social Work Courses: The College at Brockport

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SWO 221 Contemporary Social Work (A).
Covers these major areas of study: areas of human need and forces contributing to social problems, institutions designed to meet human needs, range of service professions (concepts, techniques and organizational characteristics), and societal value systems with a national as well as international focus. Develops skills in assessment through independent learning projects and group process. Emphasizes professional behavior.
3 Cr.

SWO 301 Human Behavior/Social Environment I (A,W,Y).
Open only to majors. Provides a social work perspective on knowledge and theory related to lifespan development of human beings in the context of emotional, physical, intellectual, and social development from a life course perspective. The course recognizes the impact of diversity and social structure on individual and family systems.
3 Cr.Fall.

SWO 302 Human Behavior/Social Environment II (A).Prerequisite SWO 301.
This is the second course in a two course sequence dealing with human behavior. Social systems theory is applied to collective functioning, specifically the interaction of the individual with the small group, the family, the organization, the community, and larger social systems. The course integrates knowledge from the social, behavioral, and human biological sciences to provide a comprehensive view of people interacting with their environments.
3 Cr.Spring.

SWO 310 Social Work Research Methods (A).Prerequisite SOC 200 or PSH 202 or MTH 243 or ECN 204.
Introductory Statistics. Open only to majors. Covers research methods applied to social work practice and human services. Includes research methods, designs, and basic data interpretation; development of computer skills through data input and data analysis. Major emphasis on practice effectiveness and program evaluation.
3 Cr.Spring.

SWO 311 Human Service Systems/Social Policy (A).Prerequisite Open only to majors.
Explores the role of the social worker in policy development and implementation. The course provides students with a basic understanding of the policy process, information on major social welfare policies, social welfare history, economic factors and political contexts, and how to advocate for social, political, and policy changes that address human needs and ameliorate social problems.
3 Cr.Spring.

SWO 321 Human Diversity (A).Prerequisite SOC 100, Open only to majors.
Identifies areas of misinformation that perpetuate exclusion of subcultural groups from mainstream opportunities; differentiates covert acts, institutional policies, and ideologies that foster exclusion of culturally diverse groups and compares such groups to mainstream American culture. Recognizes and deals with students’ personal feelings regarding a range of minority groups and issues as these negatively or positively affect the provision of service.
3 Cr.Fall.

SWO 322 Social and Economic Justice (A).
Open only to majors. Introduces students to social and economic justice issues in the United States and internationally. Specific attention will be given to inequality arising from race, class, gender, and age. Students will examine social workers' roles in addressing these disparities. This knowledge will enhance the student's understanding of how local, national, and international social policies work to maintain or ameliorate these disparities.
3 Cr.Fall.

SWO 341 Social Work Methods I (B).Prerequisite: Open only to majors.
Social Work Methods I is the first course in the Methods’ Sequence of courses offered to Social Work majors. The emphasis will be on the introduction and mastery of beginning skills, both conceptual and technical, and the development of professional judgment by exercising decision- making appropriate to specific situations. The Methods I component builds the foundation for generalist practice.
3 Cr.Fall.

SWO 342 Social Work Methods II: Interactional Skills (B).Prerequisite: SWO 341.
Open only to majors. Explores the face-to-face service delivery process learned through identification and assumption of client/worker roles in generalist social-work practice. Uses exercises, role playing and simulations to enhance learning. Students learn skills of helping individuals, groups and families.
3 Cr.Spring.

SWO 411 Human Service Systems/Analysis (A).Prerequisite SWO 311, Open only to majors.
Covers concepts, methods and frameworks used in the analysis and change of social welfare policy; human service systems in relation to social policy; economic and political contexts in relation to social policy; legislated social policies relevant to the social work profession.
3 Cr.Fall.

SWO 441 Social Work Methods III (B).Prerequisites SWO 341 and SWO 342 and taken concurrently with SWO 453 or SWO 454.
Enables students to identify and perform various social work roles and skills at the macro level; use change-agent skills for group and community social work; organization and group member roles; explore social issues and social work attitudes for working with self-help groups, community groups and organizations.
3 Cr.Spring.

SWO 451 Social Work Field Instruction I (B).Course fee.
Open only to majors. Allows for the application of social-work skills and knowledge to implement tasks and strategies of an entry-level generalist social worker in a service delivery system.
5 Cr.Fall.

SWO 453 Social Work Field Instruction II (B).Course fee. Prerequisites: SWO 451 and SWO 455.
Open only to majors. Provides a continuation of SWO 451 with an emphasis on elaboration and refinement of skills in a service delivery system.
5 Cr.Spring.

SWO 454 Social Work Field Instruction (Block) (B).Course fee.
Open only to majors. Combines SWO 451 and 453 in a concentrated, four-to-five day/week block field placement.
10 Cr.Every Semester.

SWO 455 Seminar in Field Instruction I (B).
Open only to majors. Provides an opportunity to achieve integration of classroom learning with field experience, and allows for development and integration of responsibilities of social work's professional role.
1 Cr.Fall.

SWO 456 Seminar in Field Instruction (B).
Open only to majors. Provides a continuation of SWO 455.
2 Cr.Fall.

SWO 457 Seminar in Field Instruction II (B).Prerequisites: SWO 455 and SWO 451.
Open only to majors. Provides a continuation of SWO 455. Provides an opportunity to review and integrate course content from all of the program components.
1 Cr.Spring.

SWO 475 Women's Lives (A,I,W,Y).Cross-listed as WMS 475.
Examines women as clients, helpers, and policy makers in the context of social forces, values, and attitudes. Explores the theoretical, developmental, political and social implications of women's changing roles. Open to selected upper-division undergraduates.
3 Cr.

SWO 476 Issues of Aging in America (A,I).
Examines the older person as an evolving individual; bio-psycho-social elements in the aging process; major issues related to the older person, the aging process; and the society. Compares the needs of the elderly with the service systems program and discusses methods of intervention specifically needed for the older person.
3 Cr.

SWO 479 People with Disabilities (A,I).
Provides an in-depth analysis of select issues faced by people with disabilities and their families using a multi-systems perspective and collaborative learning activities. Bridging theory and practice, the course content utilizes a case study methodology to reflect practice-based situations encountered by people with disabilities. Topics include: policy and laws with emphasis on the American with Disabilities Act and educational laws. Areas of study include vision and hearing loss, developmental disabilities and physical and mobility conditions.
3 Cr.Summer.

SWO 481 Social Problems in the Global Community (A,I).
Explores service in attempting to resolve social problems in the global community through micro and macro activities, from feeding the poor to engaging revolution. Students will explore the influences of history, culture, and practice arenas of services for the poor and particularly vulnerable populations in a variety of nations, with a view toward improving the lives of the exploited and disadvantaged.
3 Cr.

SWO 485 Practice with Sexual Minority Communities (A).
Uses a gay-affirmative framework to examine practice with gender identity and sexual orientation identity. History of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer communities, including self-help and professional social service responses, will be discussed. Students will examine own biases and strengths within the context of gay-affirmative, social justice oriented practice. Intersectionality of racial and ethnic identity, social class identity and other cultural identities explored.
3 Cr.Summer.

SWO 492 Topics in Social Work (A).
Provides an intensive study of a specific topic with a small group of students. May be repeated for credit if topics are different.
1-6 Cr.

SWO 497 Fall Prevention and Older Adults (A).
Social Work 497/597, an interprofessional elective, is designed to provide students with an opportunity to become trained as a matter of Balance ‘coach’ and implement the program for a group of older adults. The training will prepare students to lead a group of 12 older adults in an 8-session program.
3 Cr.Summer.

SWO 498 Integrative Approaches to Global Social Work – Russia (B).
This course is designed to introduce student to international social work practice abroad. The course works on developing knowledge and skills in culturally competent approaches that effectively enhance assets and empower individuals, families, groups, agencies and communities within an international context, specifically those impacted by trauma and domestic violence including child abuse and neglect, intimate partner violence and elder mistreatment. This course provides a beginning knowledge base for international social work practice from a collaborative perspective with emphasis on reciprocity with the host culture, to address the challenges of child abuse and neglect, mental illness, family violence and substance abuse.
3 Cr.

SWO 499 Independent Study in Social Work (A).
Enables students to complete an independent project related to either academic or field study in an individually designed course. Enrollment by permission of and in consultation with social work faculty; and in accordance with the procedures of the Office of Academic Advisement prior to registration. Credits Vary.
1-6 Cr.